A Qualitative Approach: Evaluating the Childhood Health and Obesity Initiative Communities Empowered for Success (CHOICES) Pilot Study

Low-income and minority children are susceptible to obesity due to the social and environmental barriers that influence their health behaviors. Many programs and interventions fail to account for these aforementioned barriers among this population. Given what we know about the complexity of childhood obesity, low-income and minority children require innovative prevention strategies from those used in traditional childhood obesity interventions. The purpose of this study was to describe the evaluation of a 6-week summer childhood obesity pilot intervention designed for low-income and minority children. Focus groups and interviews (N = 29) were conducted among caregivers. Overall, caregivers indicated that the experience was mostly positive for their children who obtained small amounts of knowledge and behavioral changes. Caregivers also noted several perceived barriers for intervention completion. The CHOICES intervention is a promising approach that warrants attention in future childhood obesity intervention design. Interventions involving low-income and minority children should aim to help participants make healthier choices given the environmental and social barriers that cannot be overlooked or changed.